Little Girl
by itlnbrt
Summary: Written for FAGE 6: Work-a-holic, loner Bella has to go to her childhood home to bury her father. During her grief, she meets fellow loner and Foreman of the family business. The two have more in common than Bella would like and she's faced with another big choice. For TwiStarJunkie!


**FAGE Six Pack**

**Title: Little Girl**

**Written for: **TwiStarJunkie

**Written By: **itlnbrt

**Rating: **T

**Summary/Prompt used: **A cowboy and 'Daddy's Little girl' find themselves trapped in a basement full of sex toys.

**If you would like to see all the stories that are a part of this exchange visit the facebook group: ** **Fanficaholics Anon: Where Obsession Never Sleeps, or add the C2 to get all the stories direct to your inbox.**

** www** . fanfiction community/FAGE-6-pack/93625/

I walked up the dilapidated steps of my childhood home and took note of all of its faults. The paint was peeling, the gutters were falling off, the wood railings were missing parts, and the front door looked like termites had their way with it.

My dad, Charlie Swan, owner of a huge and successful construction company fixed and beautified the properties of so many others, but never had time to work on his own home. I supposed he didn't have a reason to. Ever since I moved out ten years ago to go to college, he'd been on his own. Yeah, I'd go back to visit, but I found a home in the town where I attended university. I lived on the campus of Boston College but ended up settling in Swampscott after I graduated.

My dad, though, well, he was lonely and a work-a-holic. All that mattered to him was doing work in every building in downtown Los Angeles, Century City, and Beverly Hills. Perhaps he worked so much to keep busy so he wouldn't have time to miss me. I'd been his everything ever since my mother died when I was three years old. He was a great father and I never lacked for anything.

So, there I was, on the front steps of my father's house, missing him because I knew I'd never see him again. I got a call two days ago that he had a major heart attack on a job site and died. Alone. Well, there were people present, but they were his employees, not people that loved him. Not his family. My dad and I were all the other had left in this world and now, I had no one. I was the only Swan left. As a matter of fact, I was the only Higginbotham family member left from my mother's side, as well.

It felt like a tragedy that continuing our line depended on me, because, let's face it, I sucked at relationships. The few I'd had, always ended up in me being called a cold bitch, or being accused of cheating, or they just lost interest because I never gave them the time or attention they wanted. I supposed I was a work-a-holic like my father. After college my focus was on teaching and, always the high achiever, I wanted to be the best I could be. So, when I'd get phone calls from my boyfriend at five in the evening and I was still at the school grading papers, they'd start accusing me of cheating. Or when they'd want to cuddle up and have sex, I'd be doing lesson plans. I found that the type of man I attracted, because let's face it most of us attract the wrong people, were so needy. The problem was, I was not needy nor did I like the needy type. I liked the idea of us having our lives, our goals, and working toward them and then coming together in the middle. There was no way I'd let a man hold me back from my dreams and aspirations. So, I found that not dating was best.

Anyway, I had to bury my dad in two days. It was so difficult to believe that I had to do this all on my own. That Charlie wasn't here anymore and I was now responsible for everything. Since he left me everything, I needed to figure out what I was going to do with the house. Not sure if I wanted to sell it or rent it, I knew either way, it needed work. Also, there was the mess of his business. Who was going to run that? Summer just started so that gave me two months off work, but I didn't want to spend that much time here in Culver City, California. Sunrises and four seasons called to me from back East.

Making my way into the house, I set my suitcase down inside the doorway and inhaled the scent of the room. Charlie's cologne still filled the air and a bolt of pain echoed through my chest. Everything was as it always had been. He was a man of habit and never moved anything, nor had he bought new furniture in all my twenty-eight years. An old brown and avocado green sofa sat in the middle of the room facing a big screen TV. A well-worn leather La-Z-Boy sat next to the couch and a large coffee table in deep, dark wood, most likely from the seventies, completed the room. The walls were bare and he didn't keep knick-knacks or anything but he did have one bookcase filled to the rim with pictures of me from baby until now. He made me send him pictures to keep his collection current. Since he couldn't see me all the time, he wanted to be able to look at my face in photographs.

The house was ranch style, which meant one floor. The kitchen and living room were toward the front of the house and the three bedrooms were in the back via a long hallway. It wasn't a mansion or anything; in fact, it was quite modest at fifteen hundred square feet.

Deciding I needed to make some lists of what needed to be done, I took my suitcase to my room. I pulled out my laptop and brought it to the kitchen table, made some coffee, and got to work. I needed to touch bases with the funeral director, speak with my dad's attorney, and meet with Charlie's foreman before I could even think about what to do with everything left behind.

Two days later, I stood in the funeral home with my, everyone needs one, black dress. My long brown curly hair cascaded down my back with my bangs swept to the side. Crying as much as I had only served to make my face and eyes all puffy. I didn't even bother with make-up seeing it would only make a mess. The ache in my heart, consistent and strong, hadn't relented since I'd gotten off the phone with the Mrs. Cope, the funeral director. The pain seemed to get worse by the minute, especially as I stared at my father's casket. Charlie didn't leave any stipulations of whether he wanted an open or closed box, so I decided to have it closed. It would have killed me to see him so helpless. No, I couldn't do it. I wouldn't.

The announcement for the funeral went out to all of his friends and coworkers. I had no idea how many people would show. A gathering would take place back at Charlie's house after his burial. But I wasn't looking forward to entertaining all of those people; I really just wanted to be alone. Hearing some hushed voices behind me, I turned to see people trickling in. I stood up and made my way toward the small crowd with my hand out in greeting. After introductions were made and everyone began to sit, Mrs. Cope made herself seen. She was getting ready to begin the small service. My chair in the front row called to me. Just as I was about to reach it from the middle aisle, a man came up the outer aisle and flung himself in the chair next to mine. He startled me with his anxious behavior, so I turned to get a good look at him. In sort of mismatched clothes, a navy blue blazer, a pair of tan Chinos, and a light blue button down with a black tie, he looked frantic. Our eyes met and his green eyes flickered with apology.

He whispered, "Sorry, I didn't want to be late." Then he looked around at everyone sitting and asked, "I'm not, am I?"

I shook my head and answered, "No. You're right on time."

That seemed to relax him and he began straightening his suit jacket and tie, as if to put himself back in order.

And almost as an afterthought, he said, "By the way, I'm Edward. I'm Charlie's foreman, his right-hand man. You must be Bella. I've heard so much about you."

"I am and it's nice to meet you, Edward."

"You, too, but it would have been better under other circumstances."

I nodded in agreement, and then turned my gaze back to the front, the casket, and Mrs. Cope. Once she had everything in order, she stood behind the podium and began the service. I listened to her talk about life and death in a non-denominational way and even spaced out every once in a while, thinking about all the fun things I used to do with my dad.

"Now at this time, Isabella would like to say a few things about Charles Swan," said Mrs. Cope. She stepped off the small stage-like area and sat in the front row.

Nerves settled in, but I knew there were several familiar, warm faces in the crowd that would comfort me while I honored my father. With a little cough, I cleared my throat and spoke from the heart.

"Charlie had a way about him that everything he did, he wanted to do it well. For that reason his business, the one he started out of the trunk of his car, boomed and became the biggest in the State of California. For that reason, he was the best father, mother, and friend a daughter could ever ask for. Just like everything else important to him, he made me his priority."

I scanned the people and found my pseudo Godfather, Marcus. He'd been my dad's closest friend since my mother died. His sad smile and watery gaze nodded at me in encouragement to continue.

"My father taught me how to be a strong independent woman, he taught me to reach for the stars and never give up, and he taught me how to be the best _me _I can be. Charlie took the pains in asking women how to deal with certain _girl issues_ and he never shied away from anything that had to do with raising me. He handled it all with a smile on his face. I can sew because of him, but I can also run a demolition crew because of him. Just because I'm a girl, didn't mean I couldn't do what the boys did. According to him, I could do anything I wanted and put my mind to."

Pulling the tissue from the crumpled mess in my hand, I wiped my nose.

"For those of you that know my dad, you know that he was a straight forward, honest man. He'd never do you wrong and even if you didn't like what he said, you'd know it was the truth. Even I respected him for that. There is no other like him and there never will be, but if I can be like him, even just a little bit, I'd be all the better for it."

Vivid pictures of Renee came to mind and all the nights my dad rocked me to sleep as I cried out for her. So I wanted to close with thoughts of both my parents.

"When my mother died, I was just a little girl, my dad made sure I'd remember her. Every night, when he'd tuck me in, he told me stories and gave me a new tidbit about her. Perhaps, it was so he wouldn't forget either, but, either way, it worked. I remember, or maybe it's been fed into me so many times, everything about my mother. But now, who's going to remind me of my dad? Who's going to feed me tidbits of him so that I'll never forget? I don't know, but he was all I had and now I have to keep the memory of both of my parents alive all on my own."

I looked into the sea of people one last time, trying to make eye contact with all of them. When my eyes met Edward's, I saw the tears trickle down his cheeks and his face was wrinkled in pain. I wondered how well he knew my dad. How close they were?

"I just want to thank all of you for being here and for whatever part you had in my father's life. I'm having a small reception back at Charlie's house after the burial and you are all welcome to come." I stepped down from stage and took my seat; hand on my chest to quell the pain.

Edward placed his hand on my thigh and leaned to whisper in my ear. "That was beautiful. He would of loved to hear how much he meant to you."

A little put out by Edward's familiarity, I shot him a hard look and removed his hand from my leg. It didn't seem like he noticed my irritation since he handed me new little package of tissues. I almost didn't take them, but all of the ones I had in my palm looked like a pile of lint.

Mrs. Cope wrapped up the services with a few more words. Then six men, including Edward and Marcus stood to carry my father's casket to the awaiting hearse in front of the building. Those that were going to the graveyard needed to follow the black limo that carried dad. The whole thing was supposed to be quick. Knowing that my father loved pictures so much, I gave the funeral home a picture of my mother, father, and me when I was born to place in the casket. Also, one of Renee alone, I believe it was her high school graduation picture. She looked like one of those gorgeous actresses from the forties. Her long hair framed her face in soft finger waves and her lips were painted a deep red.

Things seemed to move quickly once we arrived at the cemetery and before I knew it, my father's casket was being lowered into the ground. I watched as the last person I had, the last part of me, was being covered in dirt. My knees went weak and although I wasn't a dramatic person who would scream and cry in front of others, I couldn't help myself. I just wanted to lie on the ground and stay close to him for just a while longer.

Strong arms wrapped around me to help me up. I wasn't sure how long I had been on the grass, but everyone was gone except Edward. Again, his help felt a little overbearing, overfamiliar, as if he knew me so well.

"Come now, let's get you to the house. People will be waiting for you there and I know you'd just like to get this day over and done with."

I stood up with his assistance and looked into his eyes, trying to figure him out. Nothing stood out in them except honesty and understanding.

"Why are here concerning yourself with me?"

He tightened his arm around me and guided me to my car.

"Let's just say that I wish I had someone to lean on when I needed it. I won't let you go through this alone. Charlie was my boss, but he was also my friend. And I know he'd want to see you taken care of."

I nodded while we walked and tried to process what he said. My mind was too mentally exhausted to protest, so I just went with it all.

Charlie's house was full of people when I arrived. Mrs. Stanley, our next-door neighbor since I was a kid, had set the food out while she made everyone feel at home while I was gone. She had always been helpful like that.

Edward, I noticed, stayed close to me throughout the night. He watched me like a hawk, wanting to cater to my every need. It was odd. I didn't even know this man and there he was taking care of me as if he were my husband or something. His generosity was appreciated and it did feel good to have someone care.

The next few days were tough. Empty boxes filled every room and I was supposed to be filling them with Charlie's belongings. The problem was, I didn't want to go through his things yet.

My new sidekick, Edward had been stopping by everyday since the funeral to check in and bring dinner. Most of the time, we sat and ate in silence until finally he asked me what my plans were.

"My plans for what?" I asked.

"Well, everything I guess. What are going to do with the house? Are you going to live here, sell it, or rent it? Are you leaving?"

He brought us Chinese food that night and with his chopsticks he popped a bell pepper in his mouth. I watched his face as he waited for my answer, trying to see why this concerned him so much.

"Well, my home is in Boston. But regardless of what I decide to do, this house needs some renovations first. It needs a lot of work."

Edward relaxed in his chair and smiled. "God, I thought you'd never ask."

"What?" I asked, my head tilting in confusion.

"Yeah, I've been dying to get my hands on this house to fix it up. Tomorrow, I'll bring the blueprints and we'll make some plans," he said, rubbing his hands together like a mad scientist.

And that was what we did. The plans included all sorts of demolition, which led to construction and a big huge mess everywhere. Edward brought in small crews to do the major work, but he was here everyday in his jeans, construction boots, and the sexy tool belt that sat low on his hips.

Little by little the house began to look new and modern. The old closed off kitchen had been opened up. A huge island that looked on into the living room was the new focal point. The red cabinets were topped off with black granite counters. The whole house had brand new hardwood flooring in a dark cherry red. Both bathrooms had been done as well and all that was left were the bedrooms and the exterior.

Edward helped me with every step of this renovation and it was pretty fun. He taught me how to draw up new blueprints with the new specs on them. It seemed like he's been at the house around the clock since construction started, and I was starting to feel sad when I thought about going home.

"Bella." I heard Edward calling me from somewhere in the house.

"Yeah," I called out, hoping he'd answer again so I could figure out where he was.

"Come here." That came from the kitchen. Except when I arrived, I didn't see him anywhere.

"Um, where are you?" I asked.

I about jumped a mile when his head popped out of the pantry. "What are you doing hiding in there?"

He held out his hand for me to take and I did. The pantry's walls were lined in shelving for canned goods and other food items. I stood there looking around, trying to figure out why he pulled me in there. Maybe he wanted to show me the finished product.

"Wow, yeah, looks great, Edward. Someone will be able to store a lot of food in here," I said, trying to sound excited.

He just laughed and shook his head. Then with a push of his hand a door that I didn't even know was there popped open.

"What the he –" I was cut off by him pulling me down a flight of stairs and the sound of the door slamming behind us. "What is this? Turn on the damn lights?"

It was dark and I hated basements. California homes didn't usually have cellars and I had no idea this house had one. I had never been down there before.

Still laughing he answered, "I will, hold on."

Once we got to the bottom of the stairs, he let go of my hand and walked away. Then the whole room lit up. I stepped forward and did a complete turn in slow motion. I could not believe my eyes, the room was a huge master bedroom complete with dark furniture. The walls were painted a light beige color with dark trim. A king size bed sat in the middle of the back wall covered with a beautiful bedspread in shades of black, red, and beige. The room felt warm and feminine. My mouth fell open in shock. None of what I was seeing computed. It just didn't make sense as to how it all got here.

Edward pulled on my hand again and dragged me to another door.

"Open it," he said.

I turned the knob and pulled, staring into darkness once again; I wasn't sure what to do.

"There's a light switch right inside to your right," Edward instructed.

My hand felt the wall and clicked the switch to reveal a huge master bathroom. Then he pointed to another door and told me to open that one. And I went forward into a walk-in closet. The whole set up was amazing and I it all just confused me. Looking around, I noticed some of my shirts were on hangers and a few hats hung on the back wall. I turned around and looked at Edward, who was smiling from ear-to-ear.

"How? Why? What's this all for?"

He stepped into the closet with me and shrugged.

"During construction, I found this basement. I had no idea it was even here because it wasn't on the blueprints, but I found the door when we did the pantry. It was unfinished and I thought it would make a great master bedroom or even a room to rent for someone. I don't know," he said with another shrug. "I just wanted to do this for you. In case you decided to stay here, you'd have a place to lay your head that's all your own."

"But I'm not staying. This isn't my home anymore," I said shaking my head.

Edward just shrugged again and walked toward the back wall. His hand reached for the cowboy hat and placed it on his head. When he turned around to face me, I almost lost my shit.

"You don't think you'd be happy here?" He always seemed so calm and in control and served to balance my nervous, over-anxious mind.

It was my turn to shrug. "I don't have any reason to stay here."

And his face fell in complete defeat. Slowly, he stalked toward me until he was just a breath away. My head tilted up to look him in the eyes. His features were hardened, almost angry.

"What about me? Don't you want to see where this is going? Because don't tell me you can't feel this connection between us." His eyes didn't leave mine as he spoke.

Still watching him, I thought back to all the time we've spent together. Yes, we were comfortable in each other's company, but I didn't allow myself to think about anything more than just being friends. Maybe it was because I didn't want anything to hold me back from leaving. But I realized, there in that closet, that every time I looked at him, my heart skipped a beat and I looked forward to seeing him. All that time we'd spent together allowed us to get to know one another better.

We never spoke about starting a relationship and we hadn't even kissed, but it was the small things: holding hands, snuggling, hugs, the smiles and just having someone to share accomplishments with. Like the new bedroom he designed, he was excited to share that with me. He built it with me in mind, but most of all, he needed someone that knew him well enough to be proud of what he accomplished. It brought me back to a conversation we had not too long ago.

_One night while we sat at the dinner table eating and discussing renovations, I asked him about his parents._

_"My parents died in a car accident a few years ago," he said, staring into his food. "It's been difficult and lonely because they were all I had. But you know, Charlie took me under his wing last year when I started working for him and he'd been there for me. He was a great man and it was an honor to know him." _

_I realized in that moment, Edward thought of my father as more than just a boss. Charlie was a pseudo father to him. I felt bad for not thinking of his feelings regarding my father's death before. _

_"Edward, Charlie doesn't give his trust freely. You must have earned it in order for him to just give you free range of his business. I guarantee he would be proud of you. Look, look at these blueprints you drew up. They're amazing." I tapped my finger on the papers on the table. "Well, I helped of course, but I guess I can give you some credit." I laughed, teasing him and enjoying every second of it. His face, incredulous at first, broke out in a smile then a frown._

_"What? What's wrong?"_

_He shook his head and said, "It's just … God, I'm going to sound like a baby saying this. But it's difficult not to notice that everyone I love always leaves me. It's just, what's the point of trying hard to achieve things if I have no one to cheer me on and make proud. I'm alone and it hurts," he said. _

_My hands reached across the table and held his. For some unknown reason his pain became mine or at least in that moment our pain mingled. The feel of my hands covering his caused him to look up at me and he held my gaze. The look of pure trust and vulnerability was there in his eyes and it scared me to death. And, like the chicken I was, I backed away and brought my plate to the sink–connection broken. _

There were times when I did let him in, even if it was just a little bit.

_"Edward, please. Stop," I screamed._

_The job of cleaning up the backyard turned into him chasing me around with wiggly fingers. Another words, if, no when he caught me, he was going to tickle the crap out of me. He really could have caught me if he wanted to. The yard wasn't that big and we pretty much just side stepping each other. But it was the laughter and the smiles we both set free. When he finally did catch me, we fell in a pile of leaves until he kissed my forehead and helped me up. _

I felt Edward step away from me and the movement snapped me out of my reverie. He hung the hat back up on its peg and slid past me out of the closet. My eyes focused again and when ours met again, I saw the disappointment in his.

"That's okay, Bella. I'll just be going." His head dropped and shoulders sagged.

Edward turned around and began his climb up the stairs. I wanted to stop him, but I didn't want to lead him on. Things were just too confusing. This was no longer my home, but my new attachment to Edward left me wanting more. So I let him go, at least until I could figure out what in the world I wanted.

The sound of his hand on the doorknob let me know he was going further and further away from me in that moment, until I heard him struggle. I could hear sound of him pushing on the door, each time harder and harder. It sounded like he was trying to rip off the knob.

"Fuck!"

I ran up the stairs to see what was going on.

"What's wrong? Are you hurt?" I asked, panic rising in my chest.

He pushed over and over again against the door and it wouldn't budge.

"The stupid door won't open. It seems like the doorknob is broken."

A nervous laugh bubbled from my throat. The irony of my contractor, the one who most likely put the door up, couldn't get it open. On top of the fact we were stuck down there until who knew when, I began to panic a little. I watched as Edward hurt himself trying to get the door open until I couldn't take it anymore.

"Edward, stop!" I rubbed my hand on his back. "Come downstairs and we'll try again later. Just stop for now, I don't want you hurting yourself."

He stopped and leaned his head against the door and took a few deep breaths, before he turned around and walked down the stairs with me. Behind the stairs there was a small sitting area, perfect for reading. We sat on the small loveseat without saying a word. During our long stint of silence, I allowed myself to take a better look around. There was another small door to the right of me, but I didn't want to ask what was in there yet. Sneaking a look at Edward, I noticed he was leaning back against the sofa looking up at the ceiling, eyes closed.

"Edward," I said, waiting for him to give me his attention. When he looked at me, I continued. "Can you call someone to help us open the door?"

He pulled his phone from his pocket and began to dial, but dropped it on the sofa in frustration. I picked it up and looked at the screen and saw there were no bars–no service.

"Oh, my god. Are you serious? There's no service down here. Is there a landline at least?"

He shook his head. "I wired it, but hadn't gotten a phone yet." His face was drawn, tired, and, maybe, aggravated. I could understand why, since I practically kicked him out of here.

"Can we talk about this? I feel the tension and don't want that between us," I said.

"Really, Bella? Why do you care? I mean, you made yourself clear and there's nothing left to talk about," he said, sounding more resigned than angry.

"Hey, I didn't make myself clear. You have to understand how it is. My dad's death brought me here and all I was going to do was bury him, do something with the house, and go back to my life. I have a wonderful teaching job that I want to go back to." I looked up at him and held his gaze. "That's all I have."

"Look, what is this about? Is it just about teaching or about you being a commitment-phobe?"

I gasped. "I'm not afraid of commitment, it's just never worked out for me. All I ever wanted to do was teach and guys just seemed to get in my way. The longer I stayed late to work, the more they'd accuse me of cheating. If it wasn't that, then I was condemned for having good work ethic. I could never win!" I stood up in fury. I hated that men were the only ones that could be driven and workaholics, but not women.

Edward stood before me and grasped my shoulders in the calm manner he, almost always, exudes.

"Listen to me, you and I have everything in common. And, I like you, a lot. But I'm not going to twist your arm or try and convince you to do anything you don't want to. I want you here because you want to be, not because someone talked you into it," he said, and his eyes never left mine.

I wanted to laugh, to smack him, anything to lighten up the mood. All this seriousness was too deep for me and made me extremely uncomfortable. But his words just seeped into me and made me think. How would it be to have someone to go home to at night that actually understood me? What would being loved feel like?

I shook my head and looked at the ground. "I need time to think. I just don't know if I'm capable."

He backed away with a smile. "That's my girl. We have time–all the time in the world."

Shaking off the intense conversation and moment, I walked around. "This room is actually really nice, Edward. I like that the entrance is hidden and it's big down here."

"There's more. I didn't get to show you the rest." He pointed to the left of the sitting area and there was another door I hadn't seen. "That's a master bathroom, and there's a small kitchenette on the other side of the stairway. The setup is a bit strange, but due to plumbing issues, I had to keep the sinks close to the pipes." He shrugged.

"No, no. I'm sure it's fine." I walked around looking at every little detail. "You really put a lot of effort into this. Everything's so beautiful and me." I looked at him. "Thank you."

With a nod he followed behind me pointing out things I would have missed.

There was still that other door on the other side of the sitting area. "What's that door to?" I asked.

He looked to where I pointed and answered, "That's storage or we can finish that portion off as well if you want. But for now, it's stuffed with your dad's boxes."

"Oh." I looked at the door as if it was going to explode. I didn't like not knowing what was in there–in those boxes. "Can we see?"

"Yeah, let's go." We walked over and Edward opened the door.

It was a typical basement on the other side. Concrete walls and floor, dust everywhere, and tons of spider webs. Boxes were stacked against the right wall. In the back, I saw my rocking horse from when I was a little girl. It sat next to my mother's rocking chair. I had no idea any of this stuff was down here.

Walking forward, I began opening some of the boxes to see what was inside. Some were filled with piles of pictures, others had baby things: blankets, clothing, and some toys. Then I reached into another box and stilled.

"Oh, Edward. Look," I breathed.

He walked over and peered over my shoulder.

"What is it?" he asked.

Fingering things and lifting them out to get a look, I said, "Some of my mom's clothes. I can't believe he saved all of this stuff."

Butterflies fluttered in my stomach at the excitement of all these memories here. With a new sense of fervor, I began moving and opening all the boxes. Edward helped me lift the heavier ones, but mostly they all were light and filled with trinkets. It almost looks like my dad saved everything of my mother's and mine. I think Edward was swept up in the enthusiasm and began sifting through some of the boxes.

"Um, Bella. You might want to take a look in this one." I let the flap fall from the box I was looking into, and walked to stand next to him. I peeked inside and gasped. My hand went directly to my mouth and my eyes widened. I took a few steps back while the shock set in. Giggles bubbled from the same place those butterflies did just moments ago and I couldn't control them.

"What the fuck is that?" I asked even though I knew exactly what was in the box.

Edward stood over the box and looked at me with such amusement that the moment our eyes met, we both began to crack up.

"Look, they're still in their packaging." He pulled something from the carton and held it up. A big purple dildo stood tall and proud in its clear plastic packaging.

"Stop. Put that back in there and close the box," I said and backed up some more, laughing even harder.

"Awe, come on, Bella. This stuff is new and there's a huge variety. We should test some of these things out," he teased and waggled his eyebrows.

"No, no way. Put that stuff back." I walked backwards until I was back into my brand new bedroom. Edward followed me, the box still in his hands. He placed it on the sofa and then took off toward my closet.

That man had lost his mind, I thought.

When he walked out of my closet, he was wearing the cowboy hat again. I couldn't stop laughing; my stomach was hurting from the force of it all. Waiting for him to reveal his new idea, I stood still.

Coming back to the sofa, he dug something from the box and hid it behind his back.

"Okay, little one. Are you going to be a good girl for Daddy?" he asked with the most serious face he could muster and began hitting a riding crop against the palm of his other hand.

"Um, no. I mean, yes. I'll be a good girl, but you are not using that thing on me." I pointed at it.

He laughed breaking character and tossed the crop back in its place. "It's too soon now, but one day, I'll be your cowboy and you'll be my little girl."

"Don't hold your breath." Looking around my new room and then at the beautiful, funny, and generous man in front of me, I could see myself having great times here with him. "Do you think you could take some time off to take a trip to Boston with me? I need a big strong cowboy like yourself to help me move."

Please excuse any and all mistakes. This has not been beta'd yet.


End file.
